THERE is no better way to get the Year of the Tiger to a roaring start on Feb. 1 than with the right food. Hotels, restaurants, bakeries are offering everything from lauriats to bento boxes, tikoy to egg rolls, even brandy and coffee makers in order for people to start the year deliciously. Here are some of the offers.

THE PEN’S CHINESE NEW YEAR BENTO BOX Usually for those who celebrate Chinese New Year, it’s one of the biggest nights of the year and tends to involve celebrating in large groups and eating a lot of food. However, just like practically everything over the past year, 2022’s Chinese New Year celebrations are going to be rather different from normal, thanks to the current lockdown. But that doesn’t mean that people can’t celebrate. The Peninsula Manila has found a way to work around the COVID restrictions by coming up with two Chinese New Year bento box meal kits for takeout. The “Celestial Dragon” Bento Box is filled with Pork and kuchay dumplings, Stir-fried noodles with chicken char siu, Steamed ginger and soy mahi-mahi with mixed mushrooms and bok choy, and Pandan mantou, while the “Guardian Lion” Bento Box contains Shrimp dumplings, Yang Chow fried rice with BBQ pork, Stir-fried beef tenderloin, steamed broccoli, soy-garlic sauce, and Red bean paste sesame balls. They are priced at P1,388 each or P2,688, buy one/take one. Prices are inclusive of VAT and applicable local taxes. The Chinese New Year takeout bento boxes are available from Feb. 1 to 7. For guests’ safety as well as that of hotel staff, all payments must be made using GCash, online or over the phone. Orders will be picked up by the curbside of The Peninsula Manila driveway. For inquiries, orders, and reservations, call The Peninsula Boutique at 8887-2888, mobile 0917-557-8014, or e-mail diningpmn@peninsula.com .

HAMPERS, MEALS, AND TIKOY AT NEW WORLD To set the Year of the Tiger off right, New World Makati Hotel has series of offers including a room package, dining experiences, and activities to share with family and friends. An appropriate gift is Jasmine’s best-selling handcrafted nian gao (tikoy), which come in the koi fish and classic round shapes encased in a turquoise and gold box. They are priced at P1,088 and P988 net, respectively. Bulk orders get a 20% discount with a minimum of 50 boxes and Club Epicure members receive a 10% discount. Meanwhile, The Shop offers a tangy and sweet combination in the Mandarin Orange Chocolate Cake, inspired by and shaped after the lucky gold coin, and made with white chocolate mousse, mandarin oranges, and a hint of cinnamon. The Mandarin Orange Chocolate Cake is P1,388 net. A 48-hour lead time for orders is needed. Then there is the hotel’s Chinese New Year hamper, The Prosperity Box. It includes items that can be used for Chinese New Year celebrations and more such as dried scallops, dried black mushrooms, Chinese sausage, Jasmine’s XO chili sauce, Sweetened cashew nuts, salted espresso cookies, fortune cookies, and a bottle of wine. The hamper is priced at P8,800 net. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance. The hamper is available until Feb. 12. Jasmine highlights its premium Chinese cuisine in two set menus to celebrate the Lunar New Year celebrations, with dishes that signify prosperity, longevity and happiness for the coming year. Among the many dishes in Set Menu 1 is the Salmon Yu Sheng salad, also known as the Prosperity Salad, Imperial Peking duck two ways, Pan-fried garoupa fillet with chili, garlic and coconut sauce, and Wok-fried beef tenderloin in XO sauce. Set Menu 2 also begins with the Prosperity Salad and features the Suckling pig barbecued combination platter, Wok-fried scallops with chicken and XO chili sauce, Deep-fried spare ribs with crispy garlic and Stir-fried noodle with beef fillet and bean sprout, among others dishes. An a la carte selection of best-selling items will also be available under the Chef’s Recommendations menu. Jasmine’s all-you-can-eat dim sum will be on offer as well. Set Menus 1 and 2 are offered at P8,888 net per table of four guests. Vegetarian set menus are also available. All-You-Can Eat Dim Sum is priced at P1,688 net per person. For those who would rather mark the occasion at home, there is the Celebrations at Home package for a minimum of 10 guests. The package consists of 10 of Jasmine’s signature dishes including Imperial Peking duck, Braised abalone mushroom with shiitake mushroom and premium oyster sauce, Wok-fried shrimp with pacific clam and broccoli, and Fried garoupa fillet with chili and coconut sauce, as well as desserts and Jasmine or oolong tea. Celebrations at Home is ideal for 10 guests and starts at P25,888 net. Gatherings to welcome the Lunar New Year are also made possible with comprehensive Celebrations Packages that include Chinese banquet menus for 50 guests or more, venue use for five hours, one round of select beverages for all guests, five complimentary boxes of nian gao, as well as audio and video set up. Celebrations packages start at P91,888 net for 50 guests. For inquiries and reservations, guests can call 8811-6888 or e-mail events.manila@newworldhotels.com .

CROWN PLAZA’S TIKOY Crowne Plaza’s Xin Tian Di Restaurant welcomes the Year of the Water Tiger with special menu offerings. Send your wishes of prosperity and good health with its festive nian gao (tikoy) for P1,728 net per box. The restaurant also has Yu Sheng Offerings, with rates starting at P988++. Available for dine-in and take out for orders Contact Xin Tian Di at 8790-3100, or send a Viber message to 0998-840-2141, or e-mail mnlcp.xintiandi@ihg.co.

AUSPICIOUS OFFERS AT CRYSTAL DRAGON, NOBU MANILA In celebration of Chinese New Year, auspicious offers await diners at City of Dreams Manila’s award-winning restaurants Crystal Dragon and Nobu Manila. To welcome the Year of the Water Tiger, the two restaurants highlight bountiful feasts of Cantonese cuisine and regional Chinese specialties, and new-style Japanese cuisine, respectively, for fully vaccinated diners. Diners can look forward to Crystal Dragon’s Lunar New Year ala carte menu that is currently offered until Feb. 6. The menu consists of dishes that symbolize good fortune, abundance, and happiness, highlighted by Crystal Dragon’s rendition of the Yu Sheng or Prosperity salad, popular Chinese New Year fare.  Also on the special Lunar New Year menu are dishes to augur good fortune like Braised dried oysters, sea cucumber, duo mushrooms in supreme soy sauce with broccoli; Steamed live grouper in sour broth with white shimeji mushrooms; and Crispy roasted duck marinated in truffle sauce. Located on the upper ground of Nüwa Manila, Crystal Dragon is open from noon to 11 p.m. Meanwhile, guests can ring in the Year of the Tiger with Nobu Manila’s Chinese New Year ala carte menu, which is offered for the whole month of February. The restaurant at Nobu Hotel provides an al fresco dining experience at the open-air floating cabanas. The restaurant is open Sunday to Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Reservations are encouraged, through calling 8800-8080 or e-mailing guestservices@cod-manila.com . For more information, visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com .

DINING OFFERS AT GRAND HYATT MANILA Kick off the auspicious Year of the Water Tiger with feasts and treats at Grand Hyatt Manila. Celebrate in a safe and comfortable environment with families and friends at No. 8 China House and feast on authentic Chinese specialties in its Chinese New Year set menus, starting at P12,880 nett for four persons. The restaurant’s seven private dining rooms can accommodate families or groups ranging from four to 22 persons. Guests may view the special menus at bit.ly/GHMCNY2022, available until Feb. 1. Those opting to celebrate at home can dine on the Chinese gourmet sets available for takeaway through the hotel’s Dine at Home. Get a complimentary rectangular nian gao when ordering Chinese Set Menu A. Visit bit.ly/DineAtHomeGHM to view and order the set menus. Share the gift of good fortune and send prosperity greetings with the hotel’s signature nian gao, which comes in gift boxes. It is available at Florentine, No. 8 China House, and through Dine at Home until Feb. 1. For inquiries and reservations, call 8838-1234 or e-mail sea.reservations@hyatt.com .

DINING OFFERS THROUGHOUT RWM Lifestyle and entertainment destination Resorts World Manila (RWM) has a list of dining offers to let prosperity roar for the entire year. RWM signature restaurant Happy 9 at the Garden Wing offers a Roaring Feast, a six-course set menu highlighted by Pan fried abalone with French goose liver. The special menu is a dine-in exclusive for P5,288 nett per person available until Feb. 10. The Victoria Harbour Cafe at the Garden Wing has prepared a Superior steamed pompano to bring abundance for diners. The restaurant’s menu also features a Hearty herbal ribs soup and Hot taro bubbles. These specials are available for dine-in, takeout, or delivery until Feb. 12. Over at the Grand Wing, Silk Road Specials for the Lunar New Year include Wonton chicken soup, Chicken and chorizo rice bowl, and a Tikoy Treat. Silk Road’s special menu is available until Feb. 12. These RWM signature outlets have also curated a Chinese New Year Box of Cantonese classics Lo Mai Kai and Custard Bun for P488 nett. The box is available at Happy 9, Victoria Harbour Cafe, and Silk Road until Feb. 10. The international hotel brands within RWM have also prepared Lunar New Year feasts. At Marriott Hotel Manila, a traditional Poon Choi feast with layers of seafood, meat, and vegetables bathed in rich broth good for a group of five is available for P8,888 nett. Families can further celebrate with a Lo Hei Prosperity Toss Salad and gift each other a Tikoy for Harmony set. Have “Good Luck Delivered” with all these Lunar New Year treats available until Feb. 1 at Man Ho at the Marriott West Wing. For orders and inquiries, call 0917-823-8692. At the Sheraton Manila Hotel, specialty Chinese New Year Takeaway sets are available for families who are celebrating at home. Oori’s King Crab Set is good for up to six persons (P33,888 net), and S Kitchen’s Lobster Set is for up to four people (P18,888 nett). Bring the takeaway sets home until Feb. 1 through pick-up and takeaway or delivery. For orders and inquiries, call 0917-859-7496. Hilton Manila’s Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise there are set menus fit for groups of four. The Prosperity Set is priced at P11,888 nett, and a Premium Prosperity Set is P22,888 net. These offers are available until Feb. 13. Hilton Manila’s Chinese New Year Hampers and nian gao are available until Feb. 14. For more information on RWM’s Lunar New Year offers, visit www.rwmanila.com and follow @rwmanila on Facebook and Twitter, and @resortsworldmanila Instagram.

CONRAD MANILA OFFERS FESTIVE CUISINE AND NIAN GAO Conrad Manila welcomes the Year of the Water Tiger with offerings such as the traditional Yee Sang Prosperity Toss, colorful Nian Gao Treasures and a set menu at China Blue by Jereme Leung. China Blue offers a selection of traditional favorites such as: Braised Money bag of minced beef with fish lips and spring onions gong chai soup and Braised Abalone, stuffed fish maw and dry oyster in superior egg white dry scallop sauce, among others, available a la carte or in a set menu for 10 persons or more. It also offers Yee Sang, Suckling pig, and a Dim sum platter which are available for pre-order and takeaway through its E-store, http://bit.ly/conradestore. Guests can bring home a box of nian gao, available in four flavors (Traditional brown sugar, Tropical coconut, Red bean, and Sweet lemon) and presented in delicately crafted boxes. Each nian gao is shaped as a koi fish or mini gold bars to represent good fortune. The Nian Gao Treasures are priced at P1,888 per box of six and are available for pre-order and takeaway. For reservations and inquiries, call 8833-9999 or e-mail conradmanila@conradhotels.com.

PANCITERIA SAN JACINTO OFFERS AUSPICIOUS DISHES Panciteria San Jacinto, a family restaurant which first opened in the 1800s in Binondo, is beloved through generations of customers for its classic Chinatown cuisine. Now operating as a cloud kitchen based in Scout Lozano, Quezon City, it serves dishes that are perfect for a roaring welcome into the Year of the Tiger. Among its offerings are Camaron Rebosado, Lumpiang Shanghai, Pancit Canton, Fried Soy Chicken, San Jacinto Soup, Stuffed Bean Curd, Sweet and Sour Fish, San Jacinto Signature Asado. Visit the Panciteria San Jacinto website www.panciteriasanjacinto.com to view its full menu and follow its official social media pages to get the latest updates (Facebook: www.facebook.com/panciteriasanjacinto, Instagram: @panciteriasanjacinto).

SAVOY OFFERS A LAURIAT Savoy Hotel Manila greets the Year of the Tiger at its all-day dining restaurant, Savoy Café, on Feb. 1, with a lauriat lunch from noon to 2 p.m. For P1,300, indulge in a feast good for four persons that consist of mushroom soup, Yang Chow fried rice, Stir fry noodles, Chinese-style fried chicken, and fresh fruit slices. The meal can be enjoyed at home by calling or e-mailing Savoy Cafe at least two days prior to Feb. 1. Dessert for delivery orders is Mango Sago. Savoy’s drink of the month is White Sangria, a mix of chardonnay, brandy, orange juice, Sprite and syrup has just the right amount of sweetness and kick for an afternoon drink. The hotel’s cakes of the month are Blushing Strawberry, a chiffon cake with layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream, and Triple Chocolate Surprise which has dark, milk and white pure chocolate mousse. For more details and for restaurant reservations at Savoy Café, call 5317-2888 or e-mail dine@savoymanila.com.

HONG KONG MX TREATS AVAILABLE IN PHL Hong Kong MX creates a variety of pastries for special occasions, including Chinese New Year. Egg rolls, rich butter pastries, almond mille-feuilles, hazelnut cookies, and other varieties of cookie gift boxes are prepared and include a delectable surprise in each box. There is even a limited-edition Sanrio Collection — the Hong Kong MX Hello Kitty tin in red, containing 12 mini–Almond Mille Feuille (original), and the Hong Kong MX Sanrio, a pink tin featring various Santio Characters, containing 16 pcs tiny Hearty Butter cookies (original). These Hong Kong-made treats are available in the Philippines through Double Down Import Export Inc. Visit https://doubledownimportexportinc.storehub.me for more details. The products are available through a number of channels including Facebook (Hong Kong MX Products Philippines), Instagram (@hkmxproductsph), Lazada and Shopee (Hong Kong MX Products Phils), through GrabFood (Hong Kong MX Bakery, multiple locations), Pickaroo/MetroMart (Hong Kong MX, multiple locations), at select Rustan’s Supermarket and Robinsons Supermarket Branches, and select Daiso Stores. HongKong MX also has pop-up stores at SM Mall of Asia, Greenhills V-Mall, Eastwood Mall, SM Aura, and Ayala Cloverleaf. There are currently promos on the official website.

RÉMY MARTIN COGNACS FOR A TIGER People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to possess courage, competitiveness, unpredictability, and confidence — characteristics that are also embodied by the iconic Centaur representing Rémy Martin. The maker of some of the finest champagne cognacs introduces the Centaur Odyssey limited edition Rémy Martin XO, lavish spirits to level up the new year celebration with grandeur and good fortune. Gift-giving is an act of respect and gratefulness and a way to wish friends and loved ones’ good fortune. Apart from hóngbāo or ampao, surprise them with Rémy Martin XO, a gift adorned with a fully decorated coffret that opens like a treasure chest. The intricately designed box narrates the odyssey of the centaur and unveils the decanter, specially decorated with eye-catching colors at the center. Rémy Martin XO Red, Rémy Martin VSOP, and Rémy Martin Club are available at liquor shops and supermarkets nationwide. For more information, visit www.remymartin.com or scan the QR code below:

START THE YEAR WITH NESPRESSO Begin the Year of the Tiger with a good cup of coffee. Surprise family and friends with simple-to-use yet innovative machines and Shanghai Lungo sleeves from Nespresso’s Chinese New Year offerings. The unique flavor of Shanghai Lungo from Nespresso’s World Explorations collection is crafted from Kenyan, Chinese, and Indonesian Arabicas. Roasted in two fast and light splits, the distinctive light-roast blend guarantees a balanced taste marked by precision and delicacy with fine acidity, while boasting aromatic notes of oranges, peach, and red fruit. An abundant New Year awaits with Nespresso’s promotions running from Jan. 29 to Feb. 13 (not applicable in conjunction with any other discounts and promotions). Avail them at Nespresso boutiques in Power Plant Mall, The Podium, and Robinsons Magnolia; pop-up stores in Greenbelt 5, One Bonifacio High Street Mall, Shangri-La Mall, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura, and Lucky Chinatown Mall; and at www.nespresso.ph. For every in-store or online purchase of a stand-alone Nespresso machine or machine and Aeroccino 3 bundle, along with one sleeve of Shanghai Lungo, customers get a complimentary two-piece View Lungo Cup. In addition, customers at Nespresso boutiques and pop-up stores will receive festive red envelopes, each containing P500-worth of gift certificates that are redeemable for discounts on select accessories at Nespresso retail stores until March 31. Each purchase of the Chinese New Year 10-sleeve pack in-store or online entitles patrons to a complimentary View Espresso Cup.

CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR WITH KEE WAH BAKERY FOR CHINESE New Year, Kee Wah Bakery Philippines has introduced a series of special high-quality Chinese New Year biscuits, pastries, and snacks. Kee Wah Bakery is one of the most popular bakeries in Hong Kong, which has been creating the best quality heritage biscuits, pastries and snacks for over 80 years. Among the many items available this year is Chinese New Year Rice Pudding (a family recipe passed down from the founder’s mother) in six variants: original, low sugar, coconut flavor, almond flavor, ginger flavor and red dates flavor, with prices ranging from P950 for 635 gm to P1,295 for 1 kg. There are also Assorted Snacks Gift Box with prices ranging from P1,395 to P2,300. These include the Assorted Cookies Gift Box (P995) containing 27 cookies in three assorted flavors (Butter cookies with Cashew, Butter Cookies with Cranberry, Butter cookies with Almond Chocolate); the Almond Crisps and Palmiers gift box containing two of the bakery’s best-selling pastries in one tin (eight Almond Crisps and nine buttery puff pastry Palmiers) for this season for P995. Also available for gifting are tins of the popular egg roll. The bakery’s egg rolls come in six flavors — Butter, Coconut, Seaweed, Coffee, Black Sesame, and Ginger. Assorted mini egg roll flavors are available in one tin for P875, while regular sized flavored egg rolls in individual tin are P990. Then there are the Mini Transportation Cookies Gift Sets, filled with 12 animal-shaped cookies (panda, penguin, and koala). The tins, which come in three designs (Ferry, Bus and Tram), cost P695. The animal cookies featured in the transportation gift tin are also available individually: Panda Tin can (18 pcs), Penguin Cookie Tin Can (18 pcs) and Koala Cookies Tin Can (18 pcs) at P895. A 12-piece set of Panda cookies is also available for P495. Chinese New Year Hampers will be available at Kee Wah Bakery Philippines branches: The Podium, The Power Plant Mall, Robinsons Magnolia, SM North Edsa, and on Kee Wah Bakery Philippines’ official social media accounts. Starting at P1,000 the hampers include assorted Kee Wah Bakery items. Kee Wah Bakery Philippines is currently accepting pre-order and customization for its Holiday hampers. Customers can customize the contents of these baskets by calling the customer hotline at 0968-228-8530 or messaging the official social media accounts. Delivery within Metro Manila is free for a minimum P2,000 order. All Kee Wah Bakery products are all produced and imported from Hong Kong.